HOT TAKE: John Ambrose Never Really Had a Chance in 'To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You'!

Every so often, a movie comes around with a heartthrob that steals just about everyone’s hearts.

In 2018, that movie was To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, and that heartthrob was the one and only Peter Kavinsky, played by the ever dreamy Noah Centineo.

Honestly, it’s hard NOT to fall for him, with moves like this one.

But now, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You has introduced a challenger to the Internet’s boyfriend. Meet John Ambrose McClaren, played by the unfairly and equally dreamy Jordan Fisher.

As with any good love triangle, fans have chosen their sides. And – SPOILERS – #TeamPeter won this one.

For some, he was the obvious choice. For others, jumping ship was all too easy. (It’s me, I’m others.)

But now that we’ve had some time to sit with Lara Jean’s decision, we have to seriously consider: Did John Ambrose REALLY have a chance at winning Lara Jean’s heart?

Sadly, the answer is a simple, resounding

It’s not because he did anything wrong. In fact, John Ambrose McClaren did literally everything right. And that’s exactly why he didn’t have much of a battle with Peter. He didn’t even start one.

First and foremost, John Ambrose wrote Lara Jean back after getting her letter.

He didn’t try and just show up at her house, or at her school. He didn’t try and slide into her DMs. He wasn’t aggressive about it at all. He simply wrote her back, thanking her, and asking why she had sent it.

Classy man, that John Ambrose.

Then he shows up at Belleview – coincidentally the same place that Lara Jean is volunteering.

But here’s the thing: it really is a coincidence. At no point is it revealed that John Ambrose knew Lara Jean would be there, or that he purposely chose to be there to be close to her. It’s just their personalities lining up once again (naturally, two Hufflepuffs would think similarly).

Sadly, John Ambrose isn’t on screen much beyond the moments that he and Lara Jean are together at Belleview. There’s the treehouse scene, used as the catalyst to John Ambrose finding out about Lara Jean and Peter, but that’s about it.

John Ambrose respects that Lara Jean and Peter are together. He doesn’t try to hang out with Lara Jean outside of volunteering, he doesn’t text her inappropriately much, he doesn’t even try to be physically close to her – even during the piano scene!

You know, this one:

The one where Jordan Fisher actually improvised the music he was playing because he’s just that talented.

But I digress.

John Ambrose doesn’t even really speak poorly of Peter, minus pointing out the last pizza slice thing. Even then, he’s not saying it to undermine Lara Jean’s relationship with Peter. At that point, John Ambrose doesn’t even know about it. He’s just recalling an old friend.

In short: John Ambrose McClaren never actively tries to pull Lara Jean away from Peter.

At the end of the day, the only thing that really derails Peter and Lara Jean’s relationship is Peter and Lara Jean themselves.

Peter repeatedly defends Gen, Lara Jean consistently doesn’t trust her, then she finds out that Peter was actually waiting for Gen on the ski trip, and that he knew all along that she was the one who had filmed Lara Jean and Peter in the hot tub.

Lara Jean and Peter are so different, there’s obviously going to be a learning curve. John Ambrose McClaren just throws their differences into a sharper light.

John Ambrose wasn’t truly written to be a “romantic rival” to Peter. He’s too good of a guy to genuinely try and steal another man’s girlfriend. So no – he never really had a chance at winning Lara Jean’s heart. And it’s a damn shame.

To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is streaming now on Netflix!